Clare Wheatley (born 4 February 1971) is a football administrator and former player for Arsenal Ladies who played as a wing back.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 4 February 1971 | ||
| Place of birth | London, England | ||
| Position(s) | Wing back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –1993 | Sheffield Wednesday | ||
| 1993–1995 | Arsenal Ladies | ||
| 1995–2001 | Arsenal Ladies | ||
| 2004–2005 | Arsenal Ladies | ||
| International career | |||
| 1996 | England | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
Wheatley started playing football at her grammar school before the school banned its pupils from playing football. When she was studying to be a Physical Education teacher at Sheffield City Polytechnic, she joined Sheffield Wednesday Ladies.[2] In 1993, she played for Chelsea Ladies. In 1995, after a successful training camp, she joined Arsenal Ladies and was reminded by manager Vic Akers "Arsenal Ladies is not a social club".[2] A year later she made her debut for the England women's national football team as a substitute.[2] In 1997, she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a match against Millwall Lionesses, which meant she could not play for a whole season nor do her job as a PE teacher, but she returned in 1998.[2] Following her return, she did not receive another England call-up.[2] In 2001, following an injury playing against Doncaster Belles, Wheatley was forced to retire.[3] In 2004, she came out of retirement to play two more seasons for Arsenal before again retiring from playing in 2005.[2]
She was allotted 115 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.[4][5]
Administration
During Wheatley's time injured in 1997, Akers had been appointed as kitman for Arsenal, so she could take over his role as club development officer.[2][6] When she had to give up playing, she remained as the club's development officer. In 2014, when Akers retired, Wheatley succeeded him as the General Manager of Arsenal Ladies.[7] In 2020, Arsenal Women were fined £50,000 for discrimination after it was found by a Football Association tribunal that Wheatley had fired a youth coach who had been diagnosed with autism.[8]
Honours
Arsenal